Geranium plant named ‘Balcoldaav’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Balcoldaav’, characterized by its cascading and mounded growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves with darker zonation pattern; and light purple-colored double flowers.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Pelargonium peltatum cultivar ‘Balcoldaav’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geraniumplant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Balcoldaav’.

The new Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop new freely flowering Geraniums with attractiveflower and foliage colors.

The new Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor of a proprietary Pelargonium peltatum selection identified ascode number BFP-1441, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent witha proprietary Pelargonium peltatum selection identified as code number8936-5, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar‘Balcoldaav’ was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a floweringplant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Arroyo Grande, Calif., in 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atArroyo Grande, Calif., since June, 2000, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Balcoldaav’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Balcoldaav’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Cascading and mounded growth habit.

2. Freely basal branching habit.

3. Dark green-colored leaves with darker zonation pattern.

4. Light purple-colored double flowers.

Plants of the new Geranium differ from plants of the parent selectionsprimarily in flower color.

The new Geranium can be compared to the cultivar ‘Butterfly’, notpatented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in ArroyoGrande, Calif., plants of the new Geranium differed from plants of thecultivar ‘Butterfly’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Geranium were more freely flowering than plants ofthe cultivar ‘Butterfly’.

2. Plants of the new Geranium had larger umbels than plants of thecultivar ‘Butterfly’.

3. Umbels of plants of the new Geranium had fewer flowers than umbels ofplants of the cultivar ‘Butterfly’.

4. Plants of the new Geranium had longer peduncles than plants of thecultivar ‘Butterfly’.

5. Plants of the new Geranium had shorter pedicels than plants of thecultivar ‘Butterfly’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Geranium.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Balcoldaav’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical flowers of ‘Balcoldaav’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar ‘Balcoldaav’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown 10-cm pots in Arroyo Grande, Calif., under commercial practice ina polycarbonate-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 20 to 22°C., night temperatures about 18 to 20° C. and light levels about 2,500to 3,000 foot-candles. Plants used for the photographs and descriptionwere about 8 to 10 weeks from planting rooted cuttings. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar ‘Balcoldaav’.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Pelargonium peltatum selection BFP-1441, notpatented.

Male parent.—Proprietary Pelargonium peltatum selection 8936-5, notpatented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 7 days at 18° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 21 days at 18° C.

Root description.—Fibrous, freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Cascading and mounded growth habit. Appropriate for10-cm and larger containers.

Crop time.—Starting with a rooted cutting, about 8 to 10 weeks arerequired to produced a finished flowering plant in 10-cm container.

Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely basal branching withabout four lateral branches at the base. Pinching, that is, removal ofterminal apices, is typically not required.

Plant height (to top of foliage).—About 16.3 cm.

Plant width.—About 45 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 cm. Internode length: About 2 cm.Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147B overlain with 187A.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant,opposite. Quantity of leaves per lateral branch: About twelve. Length:About 3.7 cm. Width: About 6.3 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex: Acute. Base:Cordate. Margin: Palmatifid. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upperand lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color: Young foliage, uppersurface: Between 144A and 146A. Young foliage, lower surface: 147B.Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; zonation pattern 187A andlocated towards the center of leaf; venation, close to 146A. Fullyexpanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, close to 146A. Petiole:Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm. Color: 146A.

Flower description:

Flower arrangement and type.—Light purple-colored flowers arranged inhemispherical umbles arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayedabove the foliage. At full flowering, usually about 13 open umbles anddeveloping umbels per plant. Flowers double and rounded in shape. Umbelspersistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden,flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Umbels.—Number of flowers per umbel: About seven. Diameter: About 8.8cm. Height: About 5 cm. Flower diameter: About 5.3 cm. Flower height(depth): About 1.2 cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 73A.

Petals/petaloids.—Quantity: About eleven petals and about six petaloidsper flower. Petaloids variable in size and shape. Arrangement:Imbricate. Petal length: Upper petals: About 3.2 cm. Lower petals: About2.9 cm. Petal width, upper and lower petals: About 2.1 cm. Petal shape:Obovate. Petal/petaloid apex: Rounded. Petal/petaloid base: Attenuate.Petal/petaloid margin: Entire. Petal/petaloid texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Velvety; glabrous. Petal/petaloid color: When opening andfully opened, upper surface: Upper petals/petaloids: 81B; towardsmargin, 82D; central splotch and veins, 71C. Lower petals/petaloids:81B; towards margin, 82D; central spot, 71C; veins 71D. When opening andfully opened, lower surface: Upper petals/petaloids: 82D; venation, 71C.Lower petals/petaloids: 82D; venation, 71D.

Sepals.—Quantity: About five, not imbricate. Length: About 1.4 cm.Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Ensiform. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin:Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pilose. Color, upper surface:146A overlain with 187A. Color, lower surface: 146A.

Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 7.6 cm. Angle: Erect. Strength:Strong. Texture: Sparse pubescence. Color: Between 143A and 146A; withsubsequent development, overlain with 187A.

Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.8 cm. Angle: Erect.Strength: Strong. Texture: Slight pubescence. Color: 187A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity: About ten. Antherlength: About 2 mm. Anther color: Slightly darker than 77A. Pollenamount: Moderate. Pollen color: Closest to 170A. Gynoecium: Pistilquantity: One. Pistil length: About 1.4 cm. Stigma shape: Five-parted,star-shaped. Stigma color: Between 71A and 70A. Style length: About 4mm. Style color: Between 70B and 71B.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toPelargonium has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named‘Balcoldaav’, as herein illustrated and described.